Metallic flume



Sept. 18,1923. 3,468,493

W. L. CALDWELL METALLIC FLUME Filed Nov. 17, 1919 2 Sheets-Sheet l J m/ym m/P Wf/lldl/Z L Caldwell Sept. 18 1923, 3,468,493

W. L. CALDWELL METALLIC FLUME Filed Nov, 17 1919 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 M?! [an 1/. [aldwed 5y: 244 @7/ fin Patented Sept. 18, 1923.

NETLEE STATES arser Lanna WILLIAM L. CALDWELL, OF CANTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOB, BY MESNE ASSEGNMENTS, TO UNITED ALLOY STEEL CORPORATION, OF CANTON, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

METALLIC stuns.

Applicationfiled November 17,1919. Serial No. saaess.

To all whom it may concern: r

Be 'it known that I, VVILLIAM L. CALD- wnLL, a itizen of the United States, residing at Canton, in the county of Stark and State of 'Ohio, have invented a new and useful Metallic Flume, of which the following 'is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements metallic flumes in which a tliin'inetal trough is used for conveying water for irrigation,

power or similar purposes; the metal trough.

being formed of successivesections of proper curvature and joined together to form aflcon tinuous channel; To facilitate erection of flumes of this character, the jointsbetween the several sections should be made without rivetslor bolts, and to allow for expansion and contraction of the metal they should have acertain flexibilityj that is, the sections should be, permitted to move longitudinally with respect to each other, whereby the possibility of buckling'as a result of such expansion and contractionis-obviated. The joints should further add a certainfamount of circumferential stiffness to the thin shell of vthe fluine sectio'ns'and should also be I i' ade water-tight without the use of solder orthe like. I i The objects of the invention are to provide a fiume with a water-tight joint withoutthe use of rivets, bolts or solder; to provide a1 joint between thefiume sections in which no outer-clamping bar is used; to provide means for allowing for expansion and contraction of the titans without causing buckling; to provide a joint between the flu ne sections ghay'ing interior means for forcing the parts into positi'on'thus aiding materially in assenibling the flume and preventing displacement ofthe parts by strains placed thereon;

Lt'o provide' means for circumferentially stiffening the structure; and to generally iniproveand simplify the construction of sheet metal fiuines.

circular sections, each sectionbeing provided at one-end withanenter nal st-iffenin'gflange,

f .the plain end ofthe adjacent section being jplacedwithin the flanged :endof each sec- 7 non and held in engagement therewith by means of a curvedipress ure bar and by providing a; structuraliron' hanger which is clamped upon the flanged end of theflume section and provided with means for forcconduct water across valleys or depressions The above objects areatta'inedbyprovid- 7 Fig. 8 is a transverse sectional view through the flume.

Figet is a fragmentaryview of portions of adjoining sections of the flame showing the means for clamping the hanger thereto.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view through a portion of the hanger showing thelocking tongue which engages the curved clamping bar.

'Fig. 6 is an 7 enlarged sectional View tongue.

A practical embodiment of the invention is disclosed in the accompanying drawings,

forming a part of this specification in which similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

In the practical use of flumes, especially for irrigation, it is frequently necessary to construct the fluine of considerable length and to support the several sections going to make up the complete fluine above the ground; if for instance, it is desired to and the same time maintain the proper level or inclination so that water may if necessary be carried over intervening 61, vations.

In order to accomplish this purpose it is g througha portion of the flume, at-a joint 'lllUSt-Ffitll'lg the function of the locking frequently necessary to construct trestlework or other frame-work of considerable height at some points along'tlie length of the fiume, while-at otherpoints such tres tle or frame-work may be comparatively low, the flumebeing supported throughout its entire length by suitable transverselha-ngers l which are supported attheirfends' by v the "trestle or frame-work.

Thefiume sections which are preferably formed of sheet metal and as illustrated in the drawings are semi-circular cross section, are indicated by thenumeral 2, these sections being of suitable length" to permit oftheir being easily handled and their e ndswill, stand fully insidetfot the one end as shown at 3 and provided at its other end with an outwardly disposed circumferential stit"ening flange 4:, which.

'5 obviates theunecessity of using an outer clamping bar, he plain end of each section being extended into the hanged end oi the adjacent section. and overlapped a short distance, as best shownin Fig.1 0t

0 the drawings, when the sections-are 21SSG111- bled to torni the completed tluznef As illustrated inthe drawings the thune 7 sections are preferably torined without corrugations in' order that the bottom'of the trough or the surface upon which the ,water flonsfis smooth, thereby offering the least resistance to the how of water. In asseinbling'the. sections the flanged end or each section should be located toward the point from which the water supply is re ceived in order to offer the least resistance to the how ofv the Water; thus in Fig. 1

- the structure illustrated is designed to perinit'the water to How in the direction of the arrow; v i

' .The' curved pressure bar 5 is arranged to be placedni ithin the overlapped plain end of each section" and-1s of a size and shape to correspond subs'tantially with the curvattire of the interior the flunie sections into whichfthe bar is to beseated. These pressure bars are preterzibly stormed with is rounded inner inc-ens shown at 6 in order to present less resistance to; the flow. of

V Witerthrough the thune, and their ends ere" Z5 lower ends to the stiffening tianege ier each i k. I)

'tluinesection. These clunipingbolts extend through suitable apertures in: the hanger, and nuts 8 are provided thereon for draw-- ing the home sections toward the hanger and anuinst the curved aressure bar.

1 The hanger is provided Witlfmeans act- 111g againstthe ends of the pressurebar f and forcing them directly outward against t h'e side or edge portions of the oi erlapped rot; the fluine' sections. v g

"Preferred means for the purpose arethe fi-fle'xible locking. lugs 9 which may he tongues stamped and dc lected at uni cute'angle V v v e theyextend downward and outward so. that 1 pressure-bar when the parts are assembled as shown'by full lines 1n Fig.- 5; v v

,r'irter asseinbhng the parts. thus described 6? in detail, the nuts S'are first tightened on from the eb plate of the han r whence;

the clainpingboltsso'as to drawthe'overlapped ends of the 'fl'tLile sections snugly against 1e pressure barn-1th the ends thereor in abutment with the undersideotthe hanger; "The locking :lugs are-then {driven upward, by means 05 a hammer or other 7 suitable tool, un'til'their tree ends wedge against the inner side of'the pressure bar near the ends thereof; and force them directly outward against the side portions of the overlapped ends of'the iiume sections,

The bolts are then further tightened so es-Ito clamp the innerla iped end of the one l1ange1','becntise the pull of the bolts'is substantially perzillel With'the endfportion of the pressure bartbut the action of the loci:- inglugspositively presses the endso'f the pressure outwardeo 'as to clamp the" edge portionsof the overlapped ends of the fluine seetionsfbet'ween the end portions of "the pressure bar andthe abutinentfformed 7 end portionsofthe c rcumferential by the V V V flanges; which are stopped lageinst lateral movement by the clamplng'bolts.

Thus'fthe overlapped ends of the fiurne' sections are clamped together at the sides as well as at the bottom ofthe flunie; and it is evidentthat when the tongues 9 havebeen driren upward to eftect'theclamping action thus described, they VJlll'bQ locked 1111 such position by thelrfwedg ng action against the )ressurebars as Well as-b a bitin into 1 i M Y b I the same.

For] the purpose of furtherassuring a n'uter tight oint between thesections of the 'iflurne a mastic may bejappliedto the joints between the sections. This mastic maybe What knowntothe trade as F *ilSQDItQ/f andw hen placedinthe jointsot the Hume i sections forms 'a-"Wate'r tight seal between L r claims to subject-mutton Which is related to that Winch is set forth infthe elannsfmade' in thisapplicationfasfoll ws mi lcla mz the sections obviating any leakage of the flow ofwater through the fiuineat' the'joints.

. L A metallic fluinefincluding adjoining Sections er l slbt t epn ng r nds, Xt -al integral stifl en'ing :andfclztmpingn ean on the outerlapped end; andjapressure jbar'in- 1 stiffened endand the pressure bar.

- side the innerlapped ends, and means at the 7 ends 'of gt-he external stiffening means for clempingthe innerlapped endjbet-W'eentthe r J 2. A metallic fiume including adjoining sections having plain ends overlapped, an external flange on the outerlapped end, a pressure bar inside the innerlapped end, and means at the ends of the flange for clamping the innerlapped end between the flanged end and the pressure bar.

3. A metallic fiume including adjacent sections having plain ends overlapped, an external flange on the outerlapped end, a transverse hanger adjacent to .the edges of the overlapped ends, a pressure bar inside the innerlapped end abutting the hanger, and means for clamping the innerlapped end between the outerlapped end and the pressure bar.

4:. A metallic fiume including adjoining sections having overlapped ends, a transverse hanger adjacent to the edges of the overlapped ends, external integral stiitening and clamping means on the outerlapped end and means on the ends of the external stiffening means for drawing the same toward the hanger for clamping the outerlapped end against the innerlapped end.

5. A metallic fiume including adjoining sections having plain ends overlapped, an external flange on the outerlapped end, a transverse hanger adjacent to the edges of theoverlapped end, a pressure bar inside the innerlapped end abutting the hanger, and means for drawing the ends of the flange toward the hanger for clamping the innerlapped end between the outerlapped end and the pressure bar.

6. A metallic fiume including adjoining sections having overlapped ends, a trans verse hanger adjacent to the edges of the overlapped ends, apressure bar inside the innerlapped end abuttin the hanger, and means drawing the outerlapped end toward the hanger for clamping the innerlapped end between the outerlapped end and the pressure bar, there being outwardly extending tongues struck downward from the transverse hanger inside the ends of the pressure bar and wedged upward against the same to press them outward.

lVILLIAM L. CALDWELL. 

